The most ghosts

Haunted houses, barns and parks abound this month. Most notable is Horror in the Dark at Olin Park, Madison's largest haunted house, with proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County. Open from 7-10 pm on Oct. 20-21, 26-28 and 31, the event is not recommended for children under 8 years old (438-0872, myspace.com/horrorinthedarkatolinpark). Sun Prairie's Most Haunted will provide historically-themed scares at the Main Street Shopping Center, 948 W. Main St. A 'kiddy-friendly' haunting is scheduled from 1-4 pm on Oct. 28, with regular hours from 6:30-10:30 pm on Oct. 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28 (w-files.com/SunPrairiesMostHaunted.htm). For something a little less frightening, The Eplegaarden, 2227 Fitchburg Rd., opens its Harry Potter-themed Harold Potterson's Horrific Halloween Haunts to kids 10 and under from 11 am-4 pm on Sundays through Oct. 29 (845-5966, eplegaarden.com). For details on other haunted houses around the state, log on to hauntedwisconsin.com.

The Not-So-Scary:

Halloween is about more than haunted houses. Get in the spirit with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's Halloween! Concert on 10/20 at the Capitol Theater, 201 State St. Guest tenor and dancer Arthur Marks returns from Broadway for a program that will include 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' and 'Flight of the Bumblebee' (257-0638, wcoconcerts.com). Fitchburg's McGawPark and the Enchanted Forest, 5236 Lacy Rd. will be filled with cartoon characters, carriage rides and a bonfire on Oct. 21. The forest opens at 6 pm.

Trick-or-Treat Alternatives:

The Henry Vilas Zoo will once again host trick-or-treating from 10 am-4 pm on Oct. 21 ' a little earlier this year because zoo officials say they simply can't compete with a home Badger football game (266-4733, vilaszoo.org). Also on Oct. 21, a new event called Sweet Street will offer 30 one-of-a-kind trick-or-treat houses set up inside the Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center. Each will boast custom-designed scenery and a costumed character handing out treats. With pumpkin bowling, miniature golf and a corral maze, too. 9 am-5 pm (236-2073).

No ghouls or goblins:

Just because Halloween is in October doesn't mean there's no other fun to be had. Members of the Wisconsin Center for Book and Paper Arts will oversee a papermaking workshop using paper pulp in a process similar to that of printmaker Chuck Close. The drop-in event runs from 6-8 pm on Oct. 6 at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State St., and is open to adults and children ages 8 and up (257-0158). And at 1 pm on Oct. 8, more than 40 fire trucks from around Dane County will travel up State Street to the Capitol Square during the Fire Truck Parade (261-9845). Stand back 200 feet!